battle to meet the approaching forces of Van Dorn and Villissigue, in which attack the total loss in killed, wounded and missing was eightythree. From November, 1862, to May, 1863, the regiment did little but march, except in the month of February, 1863, when it assisted in digging the canal which was to connect the Mississippi river with Lake Providence, on the north side of which the regiment was encamped. The operations of May were, perhaps, similar to those of the preceding months, but all had reference to the great struggle which was to occur at Vicksburg. The troops of the Fifteenth did not reach that city until May 31st, being then tired, sore, and hungry. The month of June was passed with a series of other changes, but once matters approaching the interest of a battle, and that occasion being on the 20th, when an artillery fight was had along the whole line, and the regiment formed a line of battle and marched to the front. In February, 1864, the regiment formed a part of the force under General Sherman on the expedition to Meridian, leaving Vicksburg on the 3d of the month. In March or April the regiment was given a veteran furlough, from which it returned in May, 1864, and went into camp at Bird's Point, Missouri. On the 25th of May the Fifteenth left for the seat of active operation in Georgia, then being conducted by General Sherman. From August, 1864, to December, 1864, the regiment was in an almost continual fight, losing heavily, but winning renown for gallant conduct. On the 21st of December the Fifteenth arrived at Savannah, and was ordered into camp. On the 29th the regiment was reviewed by General Sherman, and complimented "for its appearance, cleanliness, and regularity of movements." It had marched, from the 21st to the 29th inclusive, a total of one hundred and sixty miles. The regiment was in the march from Savannah to Washington, was present at the surrender of Johnston's gallant army; went thence through the Carolinas to Washington, participating in the grand review, and earning applause and commendation for soldier-like bearing. It went into camp west of the city May 24th, having marched during the month a total of three hundred and fifty-nine miles. June 1st the regiment was ordered to Louisville, Lentucky, and mustered out August 3, 4, 5, 1865. The farewell order of George Pomutz, lieutenant-colonel of the Fifteenth Iowa, will be of interest to every soldier serving in that gallant band, and is given herewith in full.

GENERAL ORDER, No. 14:

HEADQUARTERS 15TH IOWA INFANTRY, VET. VOLS.,
NEAR LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, July 23, 1865.

The commanding officer of the regiment takes pleasure in announcing that the command is now ready to pass a minute inspection, preparatory to its being mustered out of service and return home. It took a few days longer than was anticipated to finish the work, as it was deemed all important to have the neglect and deficiencies of former years, back to the summer of 1863, corrected and supplied; to have the papers, records and books of the command completed, so as to save the interests of the government, and at the same time

to do full justice to each and all who have ever been connected with the regiment. As the records stand now, the commanding officer trusts, that they may prove a real benefit in future to all of the members of the regiment, from its first organization to this present time. The day and hour drawing near when the command will disband to return to their individual pursuits in civil life, the commanding officer embraces this ocacsion to acknowledge the promptness with which all of his orders were carried out by the officers and men since he took command of the regiment a year ago before Atlanta, even under circumstances during the last year's arduous campaign, that have called for the best settled habits of discipline, and have taxed, to the uttermost, the energy and well tried endurance of the officers and men. He cannot forbear now to acknowledge that under the most trying circumstances he could not notice any slackening on the part of the men in doing their full duty; that he never heard of one single instance of murmuring when duty had to be performed; that, on the contrary, he had often been witness to the readiness, promptness and vigor of execution, and to the gallantry to which the officers and men have met and bravely surmounted the difficulties arising before them; that as often as they had caused him to feel proud of their couduct, so they had also elicited on several occasions, the applause and congratulations of several superior headquarters. He returns his last thanks to all officers and men for it now.

While he was well aware of having strictly enforced on all occasions the orders, and prescribed rules of discipline, with a view to secure and enhance the efficiency of the command, at the same he is not conscious of ever having, in one single instance, either delayed or omitted to see personally that everything due to the men, was given them, whenever it was in his power to procure it for them. Any neglect or carelessness, no matter from what quarter, was remedied at once, even if this had to be attained at the cost of an unpleasant situation resulting personally to himself. He would call the attention of the command to one object of importance, before the process of disbanding will be gone through with. The soldiers of the federal army who have fought the hundreds of battles against the rebellion just closed, and have endured the hardships and despised the dangers that will even tax the credulity of those who were not present, have shown an example of exalted patriotism, of paramount love of our country, of its government and of its laws.

Soldiers of the 15th Iowa! Your record was and is a noble one! For three and a half years you have borne the banner of the stars and stripes, the emblem of the power and unity of our government; at the same time as the exponent of your own determination to assist in upholding that government and its laws, you have carried and defended that banner through a distance marched and traveled of seven thousand eight hundred and ninetyeighty miles, since March, 1862. Out of the aggregate number of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three men, who have been members of the regiment since its organization, one thousand and fifty-one are absent, a fearful proportion of whom comprises those killed, the deceased, and the crippled, and the disabled for life. Proof enough of the devotion of the members of the regiment to our government and to its laws.

Then let our actions and deeds show when we return to our own firesides, that we are the foremost in obeying the laws of the country we have been fighting to uphold; that in the proud consciousness of having done our duty, full and well, we are determined to keep and enhance the good name we have fairly won; that we are determined to let our future conduct ever be that of peaceful citizens in times of peace, as it has been that of true warriors in time of war.

Phillip H. Goode, first lieutenant; wounded at Shiloh; resigned May 21, 1862; promoted from second lieutenant March 27, 1862; John Y.

Stone, second lieutenant; promoted from fourth corporal May 22, 1862; wounded at Shiloh; Warner McCleland, first sergeant, enlisted October 10, 1861; promoted from second corporal and private; reduced to ranks January 12, 1862; Francis A. Blackman, first sergeant; enlisted October 0, 1861; promoted from eighth corporal; Henderson Linville, second sergeant; enlisted October 10, 1861; discharged for disability, July 31, 1862; Bennett Creech, second sergeant; enlisted October 10, 1861; promoted from fifth corporal; reported discharged July 24, 1862; M. J. Sheperdson, fourth sergeant; enlisted October 10, 1861; reduced to ranks June 25; discharged for disability July 26, 1862; Jonah M. Parsons, fifth sergeant; enlisted October 10, 1861; discharged July 25, for wound received at Shiloh; Manly Fox, first corporal; enlisted October 10, 1861; reduced March 29; transferred to company I, April 1, 1862; Jacob Slonaker, first corporal; enlisted October 10, 1861; promoted from private; Michael B. Dickens, second corporal; enlisted October 10, 1861; reduced April 8, 1862; reported deserted July 19, 1862; Eli Withrow sixth corporal; enlisted October 10, 1861; discharged for disability July 24, 1862; William H. Shepherdson, musician; enlisted October 10, 1861.

PRIVATES.

James Babcock, enlisted October 10, 1861; discharged for disability March 31, 1872; William Boyer, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded seseverely at Corinth; William Blair, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded slightly at Shiloh; Watson Cooper, enlisted October 10, 1861;; wounded severely at Shiloh; Levi Davis. enlisted October 10, 1861; died at Jackson September 25, 1862; Thomas A. Evans, enlisted October 10, 1861; James M. Evans, enlisted October 10, 1861; Francis M. Harnson, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded at Shiloh; died of fever June 1, 1862; Greenbery T. Jones, enlisted October 10, 1861; discharged for disability August 25, 1862; Thomas P. Kayton, enlisted October 10, 1861; George Kearnes, enlisted October 10, 1861; Lewis King, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded slightly at Shiloh; Asbury S. McPherson, enlisted October 10, 1861; Archibald M. McKee, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded severely at Shiloh; W. H. H. McCord, enlisted October 10, 1861; discharged for disability June 6, 1862; George Morrow, enlisted 10, 1861; transferred to company I, March 1, 1862; William Morrow, enlisted October 10, 1861; transferred to company I, March 1, 1862; Wm. T. McCoron, enlisted October 10, 1861; died June 26, 1862, at St. Louis; David E. Nutt, enlisted October 10, 1861; Joseph C. Reed, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded severely at Corinth October 3, 1862. John L. Ryerson, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded slightly at Shiloh; discharged December 6, 1862; John L. Forester, enlisted October 10, 1861; Emanuel F. Tresler, enlisted October 10, 1861; Isaac N. Troth, enlisted October 10, 1861; killed in battle at Shiloh; Zimri Troth, enlisted October 10,

1861; discharged for disability March 1, or June 19, 1862; Addison Utterback, enlisted October 10, 1861; Sydnor Utterback, enlisted October 10, 1861; died at St. Louis May 31, 1862; Samuel Vanorsdel, enlisted Octo10, 1861; H. S. Woodmanse, enlisted October 10, 1861; wounded at Corinth October 3, 1862; Deransel N. Gallagher, enlisted February 18, 1862; Josiah Hondesheldt, enlisted February 17, 1862; discharged for disibility October 4, 1862; General L. Hodgin, enlisted February 8. 1862; James H. Hodgin, enlisted February 8, 1862; died at Keokuk March 23, 1862; Job Q. Jones, enlisted January 29, 1862; discharged for disability August 25, 1862; Lewis Kelly, enlisted December 31, 1861; wounded slightly at Shiloh; William Y. Turner, enlisted February 22, 1862; discharged for disability July 10, 1862; Ezekiel Weeks, enlisted February 3, 1862; discharged for disability July 31, 1862.

ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.

Wm. T. Hatcher, enlisted August 25, 1863.

VETERAN RE-ENLISTMENTS-FIFTEENTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY F.

John Y. Stone second lieutenant; commissioned May 22, 1862; mustered out Decembet 18, 1864; Isaac Cooper sergeant; enlisted January 1, 1864; Dudley Durwell, corporal, enlisted January 1, 1864; Jacob Slonaker, corporal; enlisted January 1, 1864.

PRIVATES.

William Blair, enlisted January 1, 1864; Dewis Kelly, enlisted January 1, 1864; Wm. W. Madison, enlisted January 1, 1864; Archibald M. McKee, enlisted January 1, 1864; Warner Moellen, enlisted January 1, 1864; John L. Tressler, enlisted January 1, 1864.

TWENTY-NINTH INFANTRY.

There were Mills county men in company B, and K, of this regiment. Company B was almost entirely composed of men volunteering from this county. The company was ordered into quarters by the Governor of the State on September 1, 1862, and mustered into the United States' service by Lieutenant Horace Brown, U. S. A., at Council Bluffs, December 1, 1863,* under a proclamation of the President of the United States, bearing the date of July 2, 1862.

Company K was composed of men from a number of counties, Mills being more often represented than any other of the ten counties which contributed to its enrollment. The company was ordered into quarters November 13, 1862, and mustered into the service by Lieutenant Brown, December 1, 1863.* The regiment went to the front early in 1863, being * In the report of the Adjutant-General this date is incorrectly printed, for both company B and K, as December 1, 1862. The call to which they responded was not issued by the President until July 2, 1862; hence the above date of 1862 is manifestly a typographical error for 1863, to which it has herein been changed. R. E. C.

a part of the army of the Southwest. It received its "baptism of blood," so far as any general battle was concerned, in the engagement at Helena, Arkansas, July 4, 1863. It had, previous to this time seen an occasional skirmish, but now came the opportunity to tent its courage and its faith in its officers and cause. On Independence day, 1863, began the struggle, an account of which may be most faithfully given, as follows, in the report of the commanding officer:

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-NINTH IOWA INFANTRY,
HELENA, ARKANSAS, July 6, 1864.*

COLONEL :-I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken in the engagement of the 4th instant by my regiment. My men were drawn up in line of battle at daylight, and at half past four o'clock A. M., in pursuance of orders from Colonel Samuel A. Rice, commanding second brigade, we marched across the bottom at double-quick, to a position on the Sterling road. Upon reaching the point designated, I found that the enemy occupied the crest of the hills with their skirmishers, north of battery A, commanding my position. I immediately sent forward two companies of skirmishers to dislodge and drive them back, but finding them too strongly posted, I continued to reinforce the line until eight companies were deployed.

In the meantime the enemy had placed a battery of two guns in position, with which they opened a brisk fire, and moved rapidly upon us, cheering and exulting as they advanced, being partially shielded from view by a fog which covered the hills at that moment. Our skirmishers met them with a galling and incessant fire, under which they gradually fell back, resolutely contesting every inch of ground as they retired. Our skirmishers advanced steadily and cautiously, and having gained the crest of the hill previously occupied by the enemy, compelled him to abandon his guns which, after several ineffectual attempts, he subsequently recovered, and withdrew, leaving one caisson on the field. My men were under a severe fire for more than five hours, and it affords me the greatest pleasure to speak of both officers and men in terms of the highest commendation for their coolness and bravery during the entire action. I saw no flinching or wavering during the day. It is proper to add that several of my officers and quite a number of my men, who were excused from duty in consequence of disability, left their quarters and joined their respective companies when the signal gun was fired.

Any invidious distinctions among the members of my command would not be admissible in this report, but I would not do justice to an accomplished officer should I fail to acknowledge the efficient services of Lieutenant-Colonel R. F. Patterson during the action, and the special obligations I am under for the thorough instruction previously given by him, to both officers and men in the responsible duties and obligations of the soldier, the importance of which instruction was so forcibly illustrated on the 5th instant. * * * I regret I have to report that during the engagement the loss in my regiment was seven killed and twenty-four wounded, some of them mortally—two of whom have since died— and many of them severely. Among the number are some of my best and bravest men. The enemy's loss it is not possible to state definitely, as he succeeded in removing many of them from the field. We buried fourteen of his dead, found the graves of seventeen more buried by himself, and brought one of his wounded from the field.

I have the honor to be, Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

TO SAMUEL A. RICE,

THOMAS H. BENTON, JR., Colonel Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry.

Colonel Commanding 13th Div., 13th Army Corps.

This is evidently another misprint.